Downturn-Shmownturn!

Is it me or is there some bad karma out there economically? I know -- it's all over the news, and worse, corporate giants are falling daily. But still . . . I think we, as positive direct marketers, need to inject some good karma into the economy.

The freaking reality is that we are in an economic downturn. However, I fear that this downturn will only be lengthened by our words and actions -- or lack thereof. Over the past couple of months, more folks than ever are wailing about how bad the economy is . . . and, trust me, our phones aren't exactly ringing off the wall either. And we really hate that.

Here's the thing . . . we can change this! All it takes is us convincing our clients and business partners that they need to spend their marketing budgets much more wisely. Let's face it -- business has not ground to a halt. Consumers and businesses alike are still responding to marketing campaigns.

True . . . budgets have been cut and resources have been laid off. However, now is the time to take stock of what you have been doing with your marketing budgets and measuring the success of each component. Examine your last few campaigns . . . can you measure each campaign's individual success and specifically tie it to your corporate profitability? If you can't, you need to re-group and figure out how to squeeze every single decimal-point increase in response or conversion out of every campaign. If you don't have the metrics in place to do it today, go get the tools that you need now.

Here's what this will do . . . as the economy clicks back up (and it will -- it's a cyclical thing I swear!), you'll be armed and dangerous to your competition to go out and direct market with all of your guns blazing. In the interim, you can prove to your leadership that you are putting the proper measures and tools into place to ensure that every single marketing dollar is being spent optimally -- both today and going forward. And, as you put these measures into place, you can back this up with statistics. This makes you look like a forward-thinking individual who is making a positive impact on the business. These types of people are the ones who get the raises, the better jobs and are most successful for the long-term.

Finally, any time anyone around you starts belly-aching about how the economy will be the death of us, punch them in the nose. Or, if this is not a politically correct thing to do at your company, politely tell them to keep their bad karma to themselves. Surround yourself with positive people. Success begets success -- and trust me, you'll feel better.

Enough of my rant. I need to get back to work to make my business as successful as it can possibly be. And, I'm hoping (you valued clients, you) that you'll turn to us to help you create success in your own business. You can count of a positive outlook from Suzanne and I!

Rock On!